Automatic pencil-sharpener.



Witnmaeo L. I. HAMILTON. AUTOMATIC PENCIL SHARPENER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1908.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

2 8HEETS-SHEET 1.

UNITED STATES PA TEN T OFFICE.

LEWIS I. HAMILTON, OF NEW MADRID, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC PENCIL-SHARPENER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS I. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Madrid, in the county of New Madrid and State of Missouri, have in vented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Pencil-Sharpeners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic pencil Sharpeners, the principal object of which is to provide spring-actuated means for quickly forming a point upon a pencil. In machines of this character which are operated by a crank movement the revolutions of either the pencil or the sharpener are so irregular as to often cause the breaking of the point or to fail to properly sharpen the pencil.

In a device in which the revolutions are uniform or practically so and in which the pencil is held firmly in position the danger of breaking the point is reduced to the minimum, and besides the wood portion of the pencil is removed with more smoothness.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pencil sharpener made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the top or cover of the machine removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Referring to the drawings for a more specific description of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a box or casing of sufficient size and capacity to contain a simple clock-work mechanism, said casing being provided with a cover 2 secured to the casing by screws or othersuitable fastenings 3. IVithin the casing 1 the main shaft4 is journaled in the bottom of the casing and in the top or removable cover 2. Secured at one end to the main shaft 4 is a clock spring 5, the other end 6 being connected to a pin 7 firmly secured in the bottom of the casing. A large gear wheel 8 is fixed upon the shaft 4, and superposed. upon the gear wheel 8 is a ratchet wheel 9 engaged by a pawl 10. The gear wheel 8 meshes with a pinion 11 on a shaft 12 also journaled at its ends in the top and bottom of the casing. Also secured to the shaft 12 is a gear wheel 13 which meshes with a pinion 14 on the driven shaft 15 journaled in the top and bottom of the casing.

Secured to the top 2 of the casing is a pen- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 22, 1908.

Patented Apn'120, 1909.

Serial No. 428,572.

cil holder comprising two spring plates 16, the outer ends of which are bent and curved to form spring jaws 17 which terminate immediately above the pencil sharpener 18. This pencil sharpener may be of the usual or any suitable construction, and as shown comprisesthe frusto-conical casing provided with cutting blades 19 extending into the casing from opposite sides thereof.

The pencil sharpener 18 is mounted upon the shaft 15 and ma be held in place by means of a pin 20 or by friction, as desired. The shaft 4 extends through the casing and is provided with a squared outer end 21 to which is fitted a clock key 22. At the top of the pencil sharpener a collar a is provided, and at the opposite sides of said collar are plain flat projections b which cooperate with the spring jaws 17 to provide a brake for stopping the machine after the pencil has been sharpened.

The operation of my invention may be briefly described as follows: The spring 5 is wound by means of the key 22, and the pencil is inserted between the jaws 17 and held by the hand and gradually forced downward as the pencil sharpener rotates. Owing to the rapid rotation of the pencil sharpener the work is smoothly and quickly done.

My invention is simple in construction, can be produced at slight cost and operates efliciently and smoothly for its purpose.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

The herein described pencil sharpener comprising a casing, a spring clock mechanism within the casing, a driven shaft, a pen cil sharpener mounted on said shaft and provided with a collar at its upper end having plain flat projections, a pair of leaf springs secured to the casing and provided with curved jaws, said springs extending upward to the top of the sharpener for holding the pencil in place within said sharpener, and saidv j aws bearing upon the plain flat projections to stop the sharpener when the pencil has been pointed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS I HAMILTON.

I/Vitnesses W. L. MEIER, W. H. GARAUFLA. 

